School of Podcasting: Expert Tips for Launching and Growing Your Podcast

You want to launch a podcast, and in the past, I've talked about how there are 27 steps to launch a podcast (you might want to read that first). Today I want to cover this episode from a new angle and address some of the mistakes I am seeing on episode 636 of the School of Podcasting. If you missed the previous list it was Step 1: Pick Your Topic Step 2: Decide if you're podcasting solo or with cohost(s). Step 3: Pick how you will podcast. Step 4: Pick where will you podcast? Step 5: Pick a name. Step 6. Buy the Hardware Step 7. Buy Software Step 8 is purchasing web hosting Step 9 is installing WordPress Step 10 is to get your WordPress installation ready to podcast Step 11 is making your website look good. 12. Domain Name 13. Graphics 14. Intro Music. (optional) 15.  Media Hosting (for your mp3 files) 16. Organize Your Content 17. Record Your Content 18. Edit Your Content 19.  Assemble Your Episode 20. Add ID3 Tags 21. Upload your media 22. Write Your Show Notes 23. Copy the Media URL and Paste It Into Your Post (optional) 24. Click Publish 25. Set Up Tags for iTunes 26> Make Sure your Feed is Valid 27. Submit Your Podcast to Apple Podcasts What is the Goal of Your Podcast? You need to know this. How will know if it's successful? Is it a certain number of downloads? Is it a certain number of sales? Is it to position you as an expert? Does Your Podcast Move You Toward Your Goal? So if the goal of your show is to help build an email list, did you remember to tell people about your list. If it's to build your consulting clients, did you mention you are available for consulting? Has Someone Who Is Your Target Audience Given You Honest Feedback? Have You Checked to See If You Are Unique? There are at least five shows named "outside the box", and six shows named, "The Feed." If you name your show identical to another show, not only may you be opening the door to legal action, but these people have a head start and you will have a hard time ranking for that phrase. What you NEED to Launch a Podcast Artwork: The artwork is SQUARE with a minimum dimension of 1400X1400 and a maximum dimension of 3000X3000. The FILE SIZE needs to be less than 500 kb. Failure to meet these specifications can get you rejected, and cause your show not to update, and in some cases get removed from Apple. A Valid RSS feed. That feed will have a description of your show. Along with the author/hosts(s) of the show, categories, and an email address. This is typically entered into your media host (more on that later) or whatever tool you are using to create an RSS feed A media host. I was a Libsyn customer for 10 years before being a customer, but I feel Libsyn.com is the best. For other thoughts on podcast media hosting see this post A quick note: Stay away from Anchor or any other free media hosts. I've seen multiple attempts at free media hosting over the years and it always ends badly One published episode. You can't upload a bunch of episodes as drafts, submit your show to Apple and other directories, and the flip a switch.  While many people will tell you to launch with 3, 4, 10, 30 episodes, I'm here to tell you that you can launch with as many as you want (please note they DO NOT automatically download when someone subscribes, your audience needs to manually download them) but you only NEED one. The Podcast Launch Schedule I see so many people picking a launch date and then trying to fit their podcast into it. This is like picking a time for Thanksgiving dinner and you've never cooked a turkey before. You need to have a knowledge of how long it takes to cook the bird, and likewise, you wouldn't call everyone to the table if the meal wasn't done. They would all come running to the table and ask, "Hey, where's the food?" I spent last week with Rob Walch the VP of Podcaster Relations at Libsyn.com (the oldest, largest podcast media hosting company - get a free month using the coupon code sopfree ) and he recommended to start submitting your show to directories ONE MONTH in advance and I agree and here is why: While it may take 3-5 days to be listed in Apple, in some cases it takes a few extra days for the artwork to show up (after you've been approved) and in some cases even more, time before you are shown in the results of a search You want to have your show listed in as many apps as possible. Right now I recommend Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, and if it's still alive Google Play Music. As I write this in September of 2018, Google Play Music is on a respirator and I would worry about it last. The reason for this is people get comfortable with their apps and devices. I use Overcast on my iPhone. If someone wants me to listen to their podcast and it's only available in Stitcher, there is a very strong chance I will never hear their episode. It costs nothing but a few minutes to submit your show to these places. I've got tutorials on how to do all of this at the School of Podcasting Once Your Ready Pick Your Date Once you are listed in the directories, then you can pick your date and start building the buzz (OK, you can start building the buzz when you submit to the directories).  A musician is not going to plan a CD release party (remember those), or an author won't setup a book reading and autograph session until they have their products in their hand. With this in mind, I strongly suggest you do NOT pick your date until you are listed in all the directories. Teach Your Audience How To Subscribe Don't just tell your audience, "I'm in Apple podcasts." SHOW THEM how to subscribe. You can take screenshots on your phone (on an iPhone hold down the button on the right side of the phone and press the home button). If you have an android phone just press the Volume Down and Power buttons at the same time, hold them for a second, and your phone will take a screenshot. You want to guide your audience into being subscribers. This is the difference between a clerk at Home Depot answer the question "Where are the plastic tarps?" by saying "Isle 8" or taking me to aisle 8 and putting one in my hand.  In that scenario, the clerk knows I'm walking out of the store with a plastic tarp. You want your audience walking out with a subscription. If you want you can use a video I made that explains how to subscribe to a podcast in Apple podcasts at www.learntosubscribe.com One thing I should mention here, while I'm assuming you have episode(s) recorded is I also assume you have a domain name. Do you have your own website? That's up to you ( I recommend it) but at least have a domain name so your website is Did You Know Siri Can Help You Subscribe to podcasts? Get on Facebook live and ask Siri on your iPhone to subscribe to your podcast. Most of the time she gets it right. Get Your Social Media Ready To Go Make sure you have your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc ready to go with graphics, etc. There is a tool called thunderclap.it which enabled you to work with your friends so you can post a tweet on their account and so your message goes out to a huge group of people at the same time. As I write this thunderclap.it is having issues with their website (and may have gone out of business). With this in mind, supply your group of friends with a pre-written tweet that they can retweet, etc. Get Your Attitude in Check If you want your podcast to be a business eventually, then you better write a business plan on how you're going to be different, better, and more successful than your competition. I will say that it takes YEARS to generate a sizeable income. In the book "beyond powerful radio" by Valerie Geller she points out that it takes three years to build an audience on radio. Wil Schroter is the Founder + CEO @ Startups.co say that it takes at least 4 years just to get pointed toward a real business. According to a post on Quora.com Amazon started in July 1994. They reported their first profit in Jan. 2004 for the last quarter of 2003. With this in mind, get ready for the long haul. This is not a sprint. It is a marathon. How Many Downloads Should My Podcast Get? I have said the equation for downloads is Total Value in the Episode Multiplied by The total amount of intelligent promotion = Total Number of Downloads Also, keep in mind, it's not all downloads. You can see so many benefits of podcasting. I spotlight them in this podcast as a "Because of My Podcast" segment Conclusion Make sure your show is good. Get your target audience to give you feedback You only need one episode to launch, but many people launch with three. Use the right tools, and make sure you are following image guidelines. Don't start promoting your show until you are listed in the top directories Get everyone to SUBSCRIBE to your show when it launches Realize it will take time to grow your audience Common Podcast Launch Mistakes Using the wrong tool for the job. Podcaster who host their media on a web host (instead of a media host), free media hosts, companies that minor in podcast (Squarespace, Soundcloud) Only promoting Apple. In May 2018, 54.4 percent of U.S. smartphone subscribers were using a Google Android device. Apple was the second most popular smartphone operating system with a 44.3 percent market share. source Picking a launch date a few days from today (and not knowing the time frame it takes) Horrible titles of episodes ( putting the name of the show in the title along with the episode number) Overthinking everything and Underthinking the process Not checking to see if the podcast name is already in place. Not knowing how to use their equipment (bad mic technique, and bad microphones like the Blue Yeti, Blue Snowball, that are not bad, but you need to know how to use them) Thinking a "Big launch" equals a big success. This is like saying a big wedding will lead to a happy marriage. Worrying about Apple charts, and new and noteworthy. Focus on your audience, and make it easier to interact with you instead. The charts do not deliver much of a boost, and their validity is under suspicion at the moment. Rating and Reviews are nice to have, but SUBSCRIBERS are the better thing to cultivate (which is why you want to lead them) People are spamming their name. So if I had "School of Podcasting" |make money podcasting, Pat Flynn, John Lee Dumas that would be spam. Apple hasn't given any  Mentioned on this show Dave on the Podcasting for Radio Dummies Show Slick Text Podcast Review Show Bond Fire Studio Idea for International Podcast Day (9/30) See Video Want Some Help Launching Your Podcast? I would love to sit down with you and help you plan your launch strategy. Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/schedule to schedule some one on one time, or Join the School of Podcasting

Podcast Question Of the Month If there is a slider between 1 I LOVE PODCASTING and 10 is I HATE Podcasting, where are you? Are you feeling like a three? Seven? Lets us know and WHY you are feeling the way you are. If you want to record something and attach it be sure to put September question in the subject line and send it to dave “at” schoolofpodcasting.com (trying to avoid spam with the spelling), or go to our Contact page for more options. I need your answer by 9/21/18 Slick Text Update 3:09 In a previous episode, I talked about testing Slick Text. This is a texting tool that creates an autoresponder. So when you text " sop " to 31996 you get an autoresponder from me with a link to my show in Apple Podcasts as well as a link to my show on Google Podcasts. I did a presentation for an "intimate" group at Podcast Midatlantic (probably 80 people) and I had five people sign up on the spot. With a month behind me, I've had 38 people sign up. You can try their free program, or upgrade to their $29 plan and save 15% off when you sign up for a paid plan using the coupon sop15.  For more information check out www.schoolofpodcasting.com/slicktext   What is LibsynPro Libsyn.com is a great solution for the independent podcasters (with pricing starting at $5 per month, with the most popular plans being $15 or $20 a month). This week I spent time at Content Marketing World (an event with 4000+ attendees) where most of the clients were companies (not individuals) who were looking for enterprise solutions (and in some cases used by marketing agencies or networks). Here are some of the features of LibsynPro. You can have different levels of access for multiple users. Stats per show or for your whole NetWork A higher monthly fee and you pay for your bandwidth (see VP of Podcaster Relations at rob@libsyn.com) Dynamic ad insertion Addition Podcast Configurations You can also have a private podcast. This means you can set up a podcast for your company, add the users, and have an app created for your podcast. This also gives you the ability to see if your employees are listening to episodes, and in the event, you terminate an employee you can remove their access to any files.  Social Media Marketing World Dumps Podcasting Due to Slow Growth 11:05 Recently Tom Webster wrote an article on Medium what podcasting needs to spur more growth. Michael Stelzner replied to the post and stated, "Great read Tom. Your data seems to backup what I have noticed over the last 6 years since I have been in podcasting. I was very excited and there was pretty nice growth about 5 or 6 years ago. Then I noticed a shift that started maybe 3 or 4 years ago. I noticed the NPR style shows coming on the scene, in force. And of course Gimlet. My first concern was that people who already listened to “other” podcasts would go over to the high production shows and slow their listening of shows “like ours.” I was concerned it would send a signal to new podcasters that “you have be like those guys if you wanna get in this space, forget about it!” I also noticed a significant number of podcasting evangelists starting to “podfade,” and no one filled the gap. I started to notice my own numbers stop growing (but still be very healthy and stay that way for years) despite my other media properties growing. I started to notice less interest in podcasting sessions at my conference, less interest in podcasting articles on my site, etc. So all the data came together and made it very clear. Podcasting was not growing. We made the strategic decision to eliminate the podcasting track from Social Media Marketing World a few months ago. So what I saw happening through my lens in my industry is also happening in the entire podcasting industry it seems. And I am not sure it’s a language issue (as you suggested towards the 52). I actually think it’s a social media issue. People spend a ton of time consuming content with audio. It’s called video. And I’m sure you have access to data that shows video consumption is way up, especially on social networks. The times, they are a changing. Just my two cents. Thoughts??" While Michael has his opinion based on his stats this does bring up one question: Who are the Podcast Evangelists? ( I know both Cliff Ravenscraft and John Lee Dumas pivoted their marketing to reach a wider audience) but what is a significant number of podcast evangelists? Keep in mind, this is through Michael's Lens.podcasting was dead Which will be different than YOUR Lens. It reminds me a bit of when Leo Laporte had said Podcasting wasn't' growing, it was too hard, and that lead to people saying Leo Laporte said that podcasting was dead  ( see https://mashable.com/2009/10/03/leo-laporte-video/#9DEMgJjZmaqs ). If you talk to Rob Walch, Todd Cochran or Rob Greenlee, I think they will report that podcast consumption is up (it may not be up in Michael's Niche).  Mentioned: Trends in Newspapers https://houston.cbslocal.com/2012/10/15/study-less-than-a-quarter-of-americans-read-newspapers/ Trends of Radio in the Car http://www.edisonresearch.com/radios-reach-in-cars-unchanged-since-2011/ Insights from Podcast MidAtlantic 2018 23:10 I just came back from Podcast MidAtlantic 2018. Were around 100 podcasters got together for a few days to talk podcasting. I met some great folks who will be guests in the future. Matthew Passey did a cool presentation about promoting your show and turned me on to Blip Billboards where you can get your show on an electronic billboard for $10 a day. A blip is anywhere from 7.5 to 10 seconds on a rotating billboard. The cost depends on the locations and times you choose. Any budget is fair game. Content Marketing Is Content Marketing I was listening to Tim Schmoyer's Video Creator's Podcast and let me summarize some of the concepts I heard: Know who your audience is. Focus on making great content Don't focus on the YouTube Algorithm Write good titles Be yourself and don't blatantly rip off other shows Be consistent in quality and schedule Connect/Engage with your audience It takes time to build and audience I've been investigating the Twitch video platform so I listened to a few Twitch podcasts and heard Know who your audience is Focus on making a good show Follower counts don't matter Don't do spammy "follow for follow" exchanges Be Yourself and don't rip off other shows. Be consistent in quality and schedule It Takes Time Sadly almost all of the Twitch podcasters are using horrible media hosts like Soundcloud and Anchor When I was at Podcast Midatlantic I heard similar themes Know who your audience is Focus on making a good show Reviews don't move you up the charts Don't do spammy review swaps Be Yourself and don't rip off other shows. Be consistent in quality and schedule It Takes Time Combining Logic with Emotions In Your Podcast 26:30 Words are fun. Picking the right words can trigger emotions in your audience. When you combine logic with emotions, it may inspire your audience to tell their friends. Today I play with words to show how different words can trigger more emotions.  If you get emotional, your audience LIKES YOU and give you grief. See this video of Vince Gill singing at the funeral of George Jones. At the end, the audience (lead by Garth Brooks) stands to show their support as Vince starts to slowly lose the ability to sing. Watch the video and see how you feel at the end of the song.  Notice the audience was rooting for him, so if you share something personal your audience is pulling for you.  Keep in mind, the Internet writes in Ink. While you have freedom of speech, you do not have freedom of consequences. Sometimes we say things when we are emotional that can get us in trouble ( so it's a fine dance). Here are some examples: What is more likely to trigger your audience? The phrase, "the 44th President of the United States," or the phrase "Barack Obama" or even more, "The First Black President." What is better, "A Unique Situation" or "You're not going to believe this." Another example is "A Historic book," or "Based on a true story?" Don't forget to use images on your show notes as those can trigger emotions as well. Mentioned: Pat Flynn Smart Passive Income  Ready To Start Your Podcast? I have multiple plans for multiple budgets see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme

Today I talk with Noah Tetzner who starts the History of Vikings five months ago, and when the average podcaster is getting a little under 2,000 downloads per episodes, Noah is getting 10,000 downloads per episodes. I wanted to know what he's doing to grow his audience so fast.  Noah Tetzner Wanted a Show About Vikings But Couldn't Fine One He Liked 1:58 Like many podcasters, Noah found some podcasts that weren't bad, but they didn't really fit 100% of what he was looking for. What did Noah do? He started one of his own. Is he a big tech nerd? No. Did he come with a pre-made audience? No. He found guests that had more than a heartbeat (like some shows) he found guests who could bring value. In this interview you will also hear how: Noah is buying ads on other history shows to promote his show How much Noah is spending per show How reviews seem to be boosting his chart position, but may not do much for downloads How he appears on shows as a guest even if they are not about history He is building relationships with fellow podcasters and his audience His strategy is to do your research and be genuine Not everything he tried worked How he overcame Imposter Syndrome to start his show How he is now pursuing monetization His main priority is growing his audience. Check out his show at www.thehistoryofvikings.com  Mentioned: www.newandnoteworthy.info Podcast Rewind: Where Has Dave Been? 19:15  Big Podcast: Podcast Longevity, Failures, And How To Know If You'll Make It In Podcasting Podcast Envy: Dave Jackson, School of Podcasting, on Impostor Syndrome and Podcasters Hall of Fame Unstructured Podcast: Dave Jackson The Word From Mouth: SEARCH, ADOPTION, AND MOVING THE NEEDLE IN PODCASTING – WITH DAVE JACKSON Want to interview me on your show? Contact Me What I Learned From My Podcast Focus Group 24:54 I am in a "Mastermind" with a graphics person, a lawyer, audio editors, and more. We are all podcasters and share our opinions on how to grow each other's podcast. It's free (you don't need to spend 5,000 a day to be in a mastermind - start one today).  Here are some of the things I learned: I don't expand enough on what people get so they see the value My bullet points were out of order and I put the best bullet point at the bottom of the list You're not really saying what people are getting I had too many options to choose from I need to take my testimonials and sprinkle them through the sales copy So What's This Have to Do With Your Show? Sometimes you need an OUTSIDE opinion to find things that are RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.  We Need To Talk: Setting Your Podcast Expectations 31:30 There are people with 10 downloads who want to monetize their show.  There are people with five episodes that want to quit their day job.  Here is another way to think about this and set expectations A musician has written their first five songs. Can they make a living? An actor has gone on five auditions and might have a lead on a commercial. Can they make a living acting? An author has five manuscripts and an agent. Can they make a living as an author? The answer? It depends. The odds are not in your favor, but it's going to take TIME. Many "overnight successes" took YEARS to get their big break. If your sole reason is to make QUICK MONEY, and you are bringing NO AUDIENCE, the odds are stacked against you. STEP ONE OF MAKING MONEY WITH YOUR PODCAST So many people hear crowdfunding and focus on the funding, and forget that step is one is create a crowd. They put the cart before the horse. How do you build your audience? In a nutshell, it boils down to this. 1. Identify who your audience is 2. Listen to them and determine what content they want to hear. 3. Create content that will inspire them to tell a friend (in other words, its good). I refer to this is "deliver value." 4. Go to where your target audience is 5. Make friends with them, and bring value to every conversation, listen for ideas for future episodes. 6. Then tell them about your show Step 7 would be repeat steps 2-6 Ready to Start a Podcast? Get coached by an award-winning, Hall of Fame podcasters Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme  

In episode  633 of the School of Podcasting, we are looking at Podcasting Events and asking, "is it worth attending?" We also touch base with Danny Peña who has created a movie about his story and his show Gamer tag Radio (that is now winning awards at Movie Festivals) to help introduce people to podcasting and to his show. Danny can point to one thing for his success, "Community." We first spoke with Danny back on episode 506 (definitely check it out) Sponsor: Podcast Engineering School 3:45 Podcast Engineering School – next semester starts September 18th and runs through October 30th. The classes are live and Chris packs the 2-hour classes with tons of information Today I did a quick search on Indeed.com for “podcast engineer” and saw quite a few options Program Includes: LIVE Interactive Online Training Two Mentoring Sessions with Chris Curran Major Discounts on Software and Plugins Lifetime Access to the PES closed community Certificate of Completion EARLY BIRD PRICING IS NOW – SIGN UP TODAY AND SAVE BIG https://podcastengineeringschool.com/ Danny Peña is a Walking Make a Wish Foundation for His Fans 5:36 Danny first appeared on the School of Podcasting back on episode 506 and he has ALWAYs been about his audience and building community (he still is).  I drove down to Columbus to Ohio to hang out with him (along with Daniel J Lewis from the Audacity to Podcast). Danny met some of his audience and brought them backstage at the event and introduced them to some of their favorite gamers. Think about how huge that is for the audience members. Think about going backstage at the Super Bowl to meet Tom Brady. In this conversation you will hear: Danny put together an award-winning movie about his story and the rise of Gamertag Radio using iMovie. How he taking steps to embrace those who are not currently listening to podcasts and to help them understand how to start listening ( www.learntosubscribe.com is something I put together) Danny has multiple revenue streams in addition to his sponsors His relationships lead him to leave CBS Radio when things got a little shaky. For more information see www.gamertagradio.com Mentioned: Edison Research  Danny's first appearance on the School of Podcasting on episode 506 Daniel J Lewis from www.theaudacitytopodcast.com   Are Podcast Conferences Worth It? 34:53 I asked you, "Are podcasting conferences worth it?" and today I play answers from Ed Ryan from Podcasting For Radio Dummies is starting a magazine for podcasters, was inspired to start TWO podcasts and has already received a three-figure boost of support for his Beach talk Radio show that he does with his wife 33:22 Emily from The Story Behind and E Podcast Productions (check out her Book) 40:54 Marco from marcobernard.ca got to meet all sort of people at PM18, and has been inspired to start THREE new podcasts 42:58 Jennifer from Podcast With Jennifer as a podcast editor she has picked up clients and boosted relationships 44:10 Win Charles will attend when she can finance it. She looks forward to having the loving support of the community 45:13 Michael Delany from Caregiving for Dementia got direction and focus for his show, and met a lot of great people. Hear his appearance on the Podcast Review Show 47:50 Hilda from Wise Traditions Podcast has attended two events and came away with practical tips, and relationships. It's super encouraging. 50:03 My thoughts on podcast events 51:13 I got a shout out on the Podcasting For Radio Dummies (Thanks Ed!) Question of the Month 55:00 If there is a slider between 1 I LOVE PODCASTING and 10 is I HATE Podcasting, where are you? Are you feeling like a three? Seven? Lets us know and WHY you are feeling the way you are. If you want to record something and attach it be sure to put September question in the subject line and send it to dave "at" schoolofpodcasting.com (trying to avoid spam with the spelling), or go to our Contact page for more options. I need your answer by 9/21/18 Ready to Start a Podcast? I've got multiple plans for multiple budgets at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme

Today we are looking at not taking no for an answer. We are looking at trying new strategies for old problems. My friend Marcus Couch heard "No" multiple times every year when he tried to start a Chicago Bulls fan cast. He didn't give up. He tried and tried again. We hear his story of asking a sponsor to help. We all want more subscribers, will using a text tool like slicktext.com help by putting your subscription one click away? Speaking of new strategies, should you put together a focus group to see if your show is headed in the right direction? All of this is covered in this episode 632 of the School of Podcasting Sponsor: Podcast Engineering School 1:35 Podcast Engineering School – next semester starts September 18th and runs through October 30th. The classes are live and Chris packs the 2-hour classes with tons of information Today I did a quick search on Indeed.com for “podcast engineer” and saw quite a few options Program Includes: LIVE Interactive Online Training Two Mentoring Sessions with Chris Curran Major Discounts on Software and Plugins Lifetime Access to the PES closed community Certificate of Completion EARLY BIRD PRICING IS NOW – SIGN UP TODAY AND SAVE BIG https://podcastengineeringschool.com/ I'm Playing with Slick Text To Grow My Subscriber List 3:39 They even have a whole tutorial on growing your list via text Pros: I can try it, or revert back to a free account (and I don't have to worry about codes in an episode years later) I can capture email addresses (and birthdays) I can upgrade to a paid program and my un-used messages roll over to the next month You can upgrade and downgrade any time you like Your listeners can unsubscribe from your message by texting " stop " Cons: Only works in the US and Canada (for me that is 76% of my audience based on my Libsyn stats) Some people listen in the car (or other activities) can't text immediately. See Slick Text In Action Text  " sop " to 31996 to get links to follow me in Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts. Then when a new episode is published it will be available in those apps. Here is a video of the backend of Slick Text https://schoolofpodcasting.wistia.com/medias/u9dzehifr0 For more information see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/slicktext   Marcus Couch Heard "NO" 20 Times But Didn't Give Up This is a conversation that I had on my Ask the Podcast Coach show which I do with co-host Jim Collison of www.theaverageguy.tv  11:21 I've known Marcus Couch since 2005 back when he lived in Chicago. He now lives in California where writes, coaches, and podcasts (see Marcus Couach.com ). Marcus wanted to do THE OFFICIAL FAN podcast for the Chicago Bulls. He's had the domain bulllspodcasts.com for years. He asked the team, and they said "No." He asked the next year and the year after that. This went on a while. Marcus reached out to one of the Bulls Sponsors. Marcus was now part of the Sponsor's package.  He turned a No, into a yes. He saw where one way was blocked, and kept looking for another path.  He also used the strategy that bands do when trying to find a band member, he went to YouTube and found someone who had an audience on YouTube talking about the bulls.  Marcus had the podcasting knowledge, a sponsor, and a passion, and his co-host Wyse Black had an audience. The two worked out a deal and now have launched the podcast with a sponsor, fan giveaways, and an audience.  Check it out at www.bullspodcast.com  Check out Marcus on his other podcasts: WordPress Plugins A to Z WordPress Weekly Industry Night Question of the Month 22:49 Have you attended a podcasting event? Was it worth it? I need the answer by 8/24 Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contact if you use email, please use the subject line, "August Question."  Why Your Podcast Needs a Focus Group 24:45 Rob Walch often uses this story of Marketing your podcast and how marketing will not save bad content (The Lone Ranger vs The Sixth Sense movies). So I decided to dig in deeper. Dave's equation for more listeners is The value in an episode multiplied by the amount of smart promotion = Total Downloads In a nutshell, it boils down to this. 1. Identify who your audience is 2. Determine what content they want to hear. 3. Create content that will inspire them to tell a friend (in other words, its good) 4. Go to where your target audience is 5. Make friends with them, and bring value to every conversation, listen for ideas for future episodes. 6. Then tell them about your show My advice before you start promoting it is to get someone who is not named Mom to listen to your show. These should be your target audience. You need people who will tell you if it’s good, or it’s not. The best marketing won’t save bad content (Think American Idol winners, think The Lone Ranger movie with Johnny Depp). The Lone Ranger According to Wikipedia, “The film grossed $260.5 million worldwide against an estimated $225–250 million production budget and an additional $150 million marketing costs. That means it lost approximately $10 million. On the other hand, great content will inspire word of mouth (Think the Sixth Sense). The Sixth Sense - per Wikipedia The film had a production budget of approximately $40 million (plus $25 million for prints and advertising). It grossed $26.6 million in its opening weekend and spent five weeks as the No. 1 film at the U.S. box office. It earned $293,506,292 in the United States and a worldwide gross of $672,806,292, ranking it 35th on the list of box-office money earners in the U.S. as of April 2010. Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold over 57.5 million tickets in the US. In the United Kingdom, it was given at first a limited release at 9 screens and entered at No. 8 before climbing up to No. 1 the next week with 430 theaters playing the film. Why was this so successful? Because everyone who saw the Sixth sense told someone about it. They said, "You Must See This move." People who saw the Lone Ranger (myself included in this one) told their friends to NOT go see that movie. Before you go promoting it, you might want to make sure your content is going to resonate with your audience. Promoting a show that brings no value will only allow the world to know how your show should be avoided sooner than later. Get Some Coaching If you want an unbiased opinion, I have two options. I can go over your show into on the Podcast Rodeo Show, or myself and Erik K Johnson an go over your entire podcast on the Podcast Review Show. If you're looking for private mentoring, I 've got packages for that at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme    

In the past, I've talked about transcriptions. The fun part of transcriptions is you still have to end up with something that is easy to read and brings value. I've mentioned temi.com and revs.com but the one thing I didn't think about is how you can use it as an editing tool But What if Things Go Wrong? I drove to Nashville this week to attend two events. One was the Nashville podcasters meetup, and the other was the launch party of Without Warning by Sheila Wysocki which had a room full of private investigators who are thinking about starting a podcast, and music business people looking to start podcasts. When I first thought about it, I went to hotels.com and did a search for cheap hotels. I normally don't look at reviews, but as I was choosing the cheapest hotel I could find, I saw some reviews with words like "bed bugs," "Drug Deals," and  "Cockroaches." It made me very nervous. I thought of getting bed bugs into my luggage and bringing them home. I thought of my last trip to Nashville where I ended up hitting a dear on the way home and totaled my car. But What if Things Go Right? I met some great people and strengthened the relationships I already had. I was interviewed, and it turns out that the Ramada Hotel I stayed at was the same one I chose the last time I was in Franklin Tenessee.  By the time I left many more people knew who I was, what I do, and how to contact me. What I Learned If you get a bunch of private investigators together they are just as talkative as podcasters. Why? Becuase much like podcasters, the only people who understand what it's like to be a Private Investigator are other private investigators. My comfort zone is 7 hours in a car, but if I'm driving home I can go 8.5 and be wide awake at 3 AM. You can use transcriptions to help with editing. The two I mentioned are temi.com and rev.com More and more people are assembling teams to create a podcast (and I'm not sure people know there is an alternative) People often follow the guidelines based on their environment (so people in Nashville think you need to go to a professional studio to record - you don't) Danny Ozment of Emerald City Productions ( speaking of studios) has a great mixing room, and David Hooper of Big Podcast and Red Podcast converted his walk-in closet into a studio How Podcasting Is Like Show Shopping I was so excited to go to Podcast Movement I forgot my shoes and I realized this when I was about 4 hours into the 7-hour drive. I stopped and bought a new pair. There are all sorts of dress shoes with colors, materials, heals, souls, etc. Some are shiny, and some have a texture. In the end, you need shoes to protect and provide comfort for your feet. With this in mind, it doesn't matter what they look like, the texture, etc. Fashion is what dictates those types of guidelines and those are not really NEED, but more WANTS. For me I needed a black pair, that didn't pinch my feet, let my feet breathe, and had a soul that wasn't' going to have me sliding. I looked around, found a few that fit the criteria, and then bought the pair that fit my budget. I could've looked a lot longer, but I found shoes that fit what I needed, and I moved on and continued driving to Philadelphia. Sometimes you just need to decide, put on the shoes and go. Usually the first day, your f00t need to kind of get used to the shoe, but over time the show adapts to the foot and all is well. So Man Varieties of Show Openings Jeff Brown from Lead to Read will be coming on the show in the future to discuss this further (as we did a talk on this at Podcast Movement), but we share the opinion that the show should let people know what the show is about, what the episode is about, why we should listen to you, and then get to the content. We will dive into that deeper in the future. The Perfect Podcast Intro I'm going to play samples of podcast intros from many shows today and let you know that you don't HAVE to do an intro like mine if you don't want to. Don't want music? Don't need it. Like shoes, podcast intros come in many shapes and sizes. Mentioned in this show New Media Show Big Podcast A Very Fatal Murder Oprah Super Soul This American Life What Was It Like Chad Michael  Story Podcast Ready To Start Your Podcast? Ready To Grow Your Podcast? I have multiple plans for multiple budgets at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme Question of the Month Have you ever attended any Podcast Event? Was it worth it? www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contact (I need the answer by 8/24/18)   

In the age of social media is email still relvant? If so, how do you grow your list? What makes a good lead magnet? Do I need a lead magnet? This is all discussed in episode 630 of the School of Podcasting Sponsor: Podcast Engineering School [1:38] Podcast Engineering School – next semester starts September 18th and runs through October 30th. The classes are live and Chris packs the 2-hour classes with tons of information Today I did a quick search on Indeed.com for “podcast engineer” and saw quite a few options Program Includes: LIVE Interactive Online Training Two Mentoring Sessions with Chris Curran Major Discounts on Software and Plugins Lifetime Access to the PES closed community Certificate of Completion EARLY BIRD PRICING IS NOW – SIGN UP TODAY AND SAVE BIG https://podcastengineeringschool.com/ What Makes a Good Lead Magnet? 3:23 Thanks to Win Charles from the Ask Win show, Matt Rafferty from the Author Inside You podcast, and Jerry Williams from the FBI Retired podcast for contributing Ryan Deiss at Digital Marketer defines a lead magnet as “a small chunk of value that solves a specific problem for a specific market that is offered in exchange for an opt-in. My buddy (and co-host of the Podcast Review Show) Erik K Johnston did a whole episode about lead magnets. Today we talk about email lists and why you might want to start using one.  OptinMonster (which is a great tool/plugin for capturing leads) breaks it into seven parts: Solves a real problem – if your lead magnet doesn’t solve a real problem that your customer avatar has, or if it doesn’t give them something they really want, it won’t work at all. Promises one quick win – your lead magnet should promise (and deliver) one quick win for your avatar. In other words, it should help them to easily achieve something. Super specific – don’t create a lead magnet about something general. The more specific you are about the benefit of your lead magnet, the better it will convert leads. Quick to digest – PDF checklists tend to convert really well because they are so quick and easy to digest. eBooks or lengthy reports may make your prospects feel overwhelmed. High value – your lead magnet should have both high perceived value and high actual value. Instantly accessible – your lead magnet will work best if it is something that can be delivered right away. People love instant gratification. Demonstrates your expertise or Universal Value Proposition – when someone consumes your lead magnet, it should demonstrate your expertise or your unique value proposition. This helps turn leads into customers down the road. Here is a list of 69 effective lead magnets (no email required) Advantages of an Email List? 17:44 The biggest advantage of an email list is you are one click away from your desired call to action, and more than likely you have someone's undivided attention. Most people (hopefully) are not reading their email while driving, etc. You can email your list directly and not have the information appear on your website. You are in contact with your engaged audience. 2000 Facebook followers is not the same as 2000 email subscribers According to a 2015 study, 3.57% is the average open rate. So if you have 1000 subscribers, 35 will open your email Derek Halpern of Social Triggers sent his latest post to his email list and his twitter account Here are the results he got: 50 people clicked on his link from Twitter 1,200 people clicked on his link from his email list His email list might be twice as large as his Twitter following but it still generated about 24 times more clicks. Even your grandma has email. Where To Start? 21:38 Mailchimp is many times the place you start. Why? It' starts free (but if your list grows can be expensive). There are many, many companies out there. I've used Aweber before moving to Convert kit. Aweber is $19/month for 500 subscribers or .038 cents per subscribers Convert kit is $29/month up to 1000 subscribers or  .029 cents per subscriber MailChimp is free up to 2000 subscribers but limits the number of emails sent out in the month to 12,000. If you have 1000 subscribers and wanted unlimited emails per month it would be $15 a month at Mailchimp  Do I NEED an Email List? Do you need an email list when you starting a podcast, no. But, I hear time and time again that someone in year three pivots their show in a new direction and really, really wishes they had started an email list. Be Very Careful With Affiliate Links Both Amazon Associates (amazon's affiliate program) and Mailchimp have it in their terms of service that sending email with affiliate links is against the rules. Take the Time To Learn Your Email System One of the things you should do upon signing up for an email service is to take the time to go through whatever tutorials they have. For example, I use Convert kit and to make a long story short I'm not using half of the features. When I was at Podcast Movement, I went to their booth, explained my situation and the rep show the features I could be using, and show how easy it is to use. With this in mind, I still need to take the time to learn the system. There is no sense spending money on a system that sits dormant.  Example of Podcast Lead Magnets Erik K Johnson has 17 Ultimate Podcast Interview Questions David Hooper of Big Podcast has 25 podcast episode templates (bottom of the page) Daniel J Lewis has 20 things you should do before recording every podcast episode (right sidebar) He also has an email list devoted to pointing out great deals at Podcastingdeals.com I have a resource to help you write better Podcast Episodes titles at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/headlines I also have a video series for those thinking of getting into podcasting that walks you through the first few steps at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/babysteps The Question of the Month 28:50 If you've attended any podcast event, was it worth it? If so, why? If not, why not? Please send those in by 8/24/18 go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contact if you are emailing them in please put "August Question" in the subject line. (and don't forget to mention your show).  Also Mentioned in This Episode Without warning Podcast at https://sheilawysocki.com/ Nashville Podcaster Meetup  Get a Free Month of Media Hosting at Libsyn.com using the coupon code sopfree Ready to Sart Podcasting? I would love to work with you. I have multiple plans for multiple budgets, see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme

Sponsor: Podcast Engineering School 2:42 Podcast Engineering School – next semester starts September 18th and runs through October 30th. The classes are live and Chris packs the 2-hour classes with tons of information Today I did a quick search on Indeed.com for "podcast engineer" and saw quite a few options Program Includes: LIVE Interactive Online Training Two Mentoring Sessions with Chris Curran Major Discounts on Software and Plugins Lifetime Access to the PES closed community Certificate of Completion EARLY BIRD PRICING IS NOW – SIGN UP TODAY AND SAVE BIG https://podcastengineeringschool.com/ My Induction Into the Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame This past week I was inducted into the Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame. I am honored to be in such good company, and deeply grateful for all the kind words. In looking back at my 13 years I noticed a pattern: How Podcasting Works Valuable content leads to relationships that lead to opportunities. The key word is VALUABLE content. Then you have to work at relationships, and you need to take advantage of every opportunity. Look back I see how: 6:00 Who are Dave's influences? Dave Barry, David Letterman, and Dan Klass 7:59 Thank God I was bullied? 9:25 Hope for all the introverts 10:05 You learn from all your failures  11:00 Content - Relationships - Opportunities 12:50 Dave's first podcast attracts Marcus Couch 14:45 Dave gets to go on the radio to explain podcasting to Music Business Radio 16:30 Marcus Couch invites me to get involved with Podshow. The Internet's first free podcast media hosting 17:25 Why it's not the tech 17:55 Dave tries to sound like Scott Fletcher of Podcheck Review 20:33 Why free media hosting drives me nuts Podshow/Mevio 8/2005 – 4/2014 (116 months – 38.8 million dollars spent) Podango 9/2006 – 12/2008 (27 Months) wildvoice.com 7/2006 – 7/2009 (36 months) mypodcasts.com 2007 – 2011 (estimated 48 months) Audiometric.io 11/ 2012 – 8/2014 (21 months before being purchased by panoply and taken off the market). Opinion Podcasting 11/2015-10/2017 (23 months) The average is 45 months. Take Podshow and the 38 million out of the picture and that drops to 31 (which is close to my typical answer of three years or 36 months) Anchor.fm was started in August of 2015. If they make it 45 months that is May of 2019. If they go 31 months that would be May of 2018. So far Anchor has burned through 14.4 M already (see https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/anchor-fm#section-locked-charts ) 24:00 How I got the job as the director of the New Media Expo 25:57 Podcasters Roundtable shows embracing your competition 26:30 Podcasters Roundtable leads to me interviewing Jordan Harbinger 27:11 My relationship with Daniel J Lewis leads to me getting involved with the Membership Guys 27:48 Talking to Mike Morrison leads to me speaking at Social Media Marketing World 30:11 Podcast Movement and Steve Stewart leads to me meeting Glenn the Geek Hebert 32:50 Glenn invites me to speak at Podfest 34:22 Jared Easley introduces me to Danny Pena 36:16 My second trip to Podfest leads to me being interviewed 37:10 My interview, leads to me being featured in the Messengers a Podcast Documentary 38:16 My speaking resume made it easier to get more speaking gigs 39:20 Podcasting is like farming. You plant, fertilize, and harvest.  38:50 It's not all about downloads. How my audience helped me through tough times. 42:48 Are you ready to work with Dave? 44:45 The one memory that bugs me from PM18 46:50 Daniel J Lewis from the Audacity to Podcast and Podcasters Society inducts Dave Jackson into the Podcaster's Hall of Fame 53:20 Dave Jackson's acceptance speech.

Becuase of My Podcast:  1:30 Haley Radke from http://www.adopteeson.com/ shares how the only people who can understand what it's like to be adopted, and more importantly how to deal with a reunion with your biological parents. Nobody knows what that is like except those who have lived it. You might feel alone, but by creating her podcasts she is how building a community and actually had a meetup when she was traveling. People able came from out of state to come to meet her, and to be part of the community SPONSOR: Podcast Engineering School 9:22 Podcast Engineering School – next semester starts September 18th and runs through October 30th. The classes are live and Chris packs the 2-hour classes with tons of information Program Includes: LIVE Interactive Online Training Two Mentoring Sessions with Chris Curran Major Discounts on Software and Plugins Lifetime Access to the PES closed community Certificate of Completion If you're looking to start your own audio editing service, or just want to make your show sound better. This course is for you. EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS VERY SOON – SIGN UP TODAY AND SAVE BIG https://podcastengineeringschool.com/ Imposter Syndrom Continued 12:15 Last week we looked at what is Imposter syndrome, and how to overcome it. I was listening to the Dennis Miller Option and he shared some insights into how he feels when he is at a party with "celebrities." If you are new to Dennis Miller, here are some facts from his Wikipedia page. Dennis Miller: Saturday Night Live 1985 to 1991 Dennis Miller show (last seven month ) in 1992 Dennis Miller Show Live 1995- 2002 winning five Emmys for HBO Hosted three-hour radio show on westwood one from 2007 to 2015 He also had shows on CNBC, and has done featured spots on many television shows. He is listed as #21 on the great comedians of all time top 100 chart from Comedy Central This is paraphrased from this show, " As far as being a celebrity, I'm complete "wobbliness." The moment I'm with some people who are famous I can do my little patter. I can make them laugh, and we can have the exchange that they want to have and I want to have. At the end (of the night), if they say, "Here is my number call me," when I get home and I'm alone, I don't tare it up, I keep them and think I'll call them someday. I NEVER get to those calls. I just think they didn't mean it. I would feel like I was cold calling them to sell them encyclopedias. It's a weird thing. " More Common Podcasting Mistakes 16:05 Are you ONLY putting a "jukebox" or "show player" for your podcast?  This is where you have one page with all your episodes. For an example see http://becausepodcast.libsyn.com/category/Binge+Listen PROS This makes it easy to go to one page and click listen and let it play all of your episodes. Cons Ther are now show notes on your page. Any shows notes that appear are actually on your media hosts website (and the player is served in what is called an iframe, so technically while this appears on your site, it's like someone cut a hole in your site and you are looking through to the original site). It makes it very hard to share the episode Do You Have Extra Words In Your Podcast Name That Are Not Needed in Apple? In this example, I'm not talking about the title of your episodes but the title of your show. Try to avoid having people "Search for the show in Apple podcasts." If you do, you need to tell them EXACTLY what to search for. EXAMPLE The kookcast is a podcast with a very unique name. I would deeply doubt there are two shows with that name. If you go to Apple podcasts and search for kookcast it comes right up. However, if you enter "The kookcast" even with its SUPER UNIQUE name it does not appear in the top 300 results. From what I can see when you add "The" your show is ranked against all the other shows that have the word "the" in the title and it doesn't appear. So in your case you might need to have them search for your name instead of the name of your show. This assumes you are listed as the author of your show. Is Your Podcast Created by Unkown? If you search for your show in Apple podcasts and it shows the author as "unknown" you can easily fix this by going to the system you use to make your show (for example in Libsyn.com you can go to destinations > edit > Libsyn classic feed and add the author information along with owner, email, categories) and enter the missing information. The listing in apple should updated in about 24 hours. Do You Not Care About Your Android Audience? This one confuses me, but I see it all the time. I go to a podcast website, I see the show. I can click play. When I go to subscribe there is one and only one option. Apple Podcasts. If you are on android, you are out of luck, I hope you figure something out. Check out this article. It shows a map with android being one color and iOs another color. Europe is entirely android. see https://www.moontechnolabs.com/apple-vs-android-comparative-study-2017/ according to an article at statscounter, android currently has 74% of the market in Europe. see http://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/europe

Seventy percent of people have impostor syndrome. While an interesting stat, that doesn't really help people who have impostor syndrome get over it. Today I have 12 strategies to help overcome Impostor syndrome Because of My Podcast: I Got A Custom Wrestling Mat 01:26 Jason Bryan of www.mattalkonline.com shares the story how one of the top manufacturers of wrestling mats made a custom wrestling mat with Jason's Logo and microphone. HOW COOL IS THAT? You can hear more about how Jason is now doing podcasting as a career at http://schoolofpodcasting.com/jason-bryant-turned-his-experience-into-a-career-in-podcasting/ SPONSOR: Podcast Engineering School Podcast Engineering School - next semester starts September 18th and runs through October 30th. The classes are live and Chris packs the 2-hour classes with tons of information Program Includes: LIVE Interactive Online Training Two Mentoring Sessions with Chris Curran Major Discounts on Software and Plugins Lifetime Access to the PES closed community Certificate of Completion EARLY BIRD PRICING IS NOW - SIGN UP TODAY AND SAVE BIG https://podcastengineeringschool.com/ We All Feed Like Imposters Seth Godin wrote in The Icarus Deception that after a dozen bestsellers he still feels like a fraud all the time "The beauty of the impostor syndrome is you vacillate between extreme egomania and a complete feeling of: 'I'm a fraud! Oh God, they're on to me! I'm a fraud!' So you just try to ride the egomania when it comes and enjoy it, and then slide through the idea of fraud." – Tina Fey "Sometimes I wake up in the morning before going off to a shoot, and I think, I can't do this. I'm a fraud." – Kate Winslett "I have written eleven books, but each time I think, 'uh oh, they're going to find out now. I've run a game on everybody, and they're going to find me out.' " – Maya Angelou Jodie Foster was interviewed for the television show ‘60 Minutes’ she revealed how she feared she'd have to give back her Oscar after being voted best actor for her role in ‘The Accused’. “I thought it was a fluke,” she said in the interview. “I thought everybody would find out and they'd take the Oscar back. They'd come to my house, knocking on the door, ‘Excuse me, we meant to give that to someone else. That was going to Meryl Streep.'” Ken Burns interviewed Meryl Streep, the most frequently nominated Academy Award and Golden Globe actor in history, she revealed her own insecurities "You think, ‘Why would anyone want to see me again in a movie? And I don't know how to act anyway, so why am I doing this?’” If We are All Imposters - Than None of Us Are Imposters I had a niece who for a while started to dress in a "Goth" style. The idea was she didn't want to look like everyone else. The problem was, "Goth" started to be cool. Soon, everybody started dressing Goth, and the result of "standing out" no longer was a byproduct of dressing Goth. If you are sitting there thinking, "I could never be like _____," guess what? That person is sitting there thinking the same thing too. The only thing that separates you from anyone else in the world is time and effort. Anything that anyone else can do, you can do. It’s impossible to feel like an impostor once you accept that everyone else is an impostor too. Imposter Syndrome Cycle In the book, The Imposter Syndrome Remedy Dr. Estcio talks about an Imposter Syndrom Cycle. This cycle shows often that imposter syndrome leads to two responses: Crippling Fear Overworking You are either crippled by fear which leads you to procrastinate. The second possibility is you are driven by fear of failure and you overwork. When you complete the task it may bring temporary relief. However, when it is time to evaluate performance, limiting beliefs associated with Imposter Syndrome may arise: If procrastination led to a successful outcome, then success is considered a fluke (“I was lucky things worked out in the end!”). If over-preparation led to success, then it reinforces the belief that working extra hard is needed, otherwise, there is no chance of success (“I’m not good at this. I just worked really hard.”). Thus, successful outcomes do not bring satisfaction. It only increases self-doubt, worry, and anxiety, with the thought that when either “luck” or “excessive hard work” wears off, they will finally be exposed as the incompetent fraud that they really are. And then, the cycle repeats itself. See The Imposter Syndrome Remedy by Dr E V Estacio. Strategies to Overcome Imposter Syndrome You feel like a fraud because of this huge opportunity that has been put in your lap. Maybe, it's not quite as important as you think. It's important to you, but you're not curing AIDS. It doesn't have to be perfect You have had some successes in the past. You've done hard things in the past. Think of the hardest thing you have to overcome. You did it. You're still here. Don't ignore your successes. DO NOT compare yourself to THAT person. There are always people "better" than you and people worse. You are never as good as your best review or as bad as your worst. You are not defined by your mistakes. The "I must not fail mentality" can be crippling. There is one person who really needs your message Not everyone will like you, and that is OK. Credentials don't always mean what you think they do. Find one person you know and trust and let them know you feel like a fraud Instead of saying, "I don't know anything" say, "I don’t know everything...yet. I’m still learning." Yes, there is luck and timing, but there is also talent, dedication, and charisma. While your feelings are real, this does not mean they are accurate. Quit focusing on you, and instead focus on your audience and how you will deliver value.   I'm Not Ready I do not have children, but I know many people who do and in some cases, they got pregnant before "they were ready." Some got pregnant when the thought they were ready, but found out later they were nowhere near ready. Yet, their kids are fine. You’re never going to be ready. Act anyway. Acting before you are ready is like a penicillin shot for Impostor Syndrome. It helps you build up immunity against the Syndrome. The more you act before you’re ready, the more you’ll realize that you’re never really ready for anything. But neither is anyone else. I Wonder What That Tastes Like Maybe you are trying the new Keto diet. You see a keto recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies. It looks good. You see the ingredients and you have them. There is only one way to know if this recipe tastes good. You have to make the recipe. The only way to really see something is to do it. You have to experience it. Reading about other people’s failures and successes only go so far. Sooner or later you have to start succeeding and failing first-first hand. I'm Not That Good At It So you record your first podcast and listen back and thinking, "Ugh, I'm not that good." You know what? You're not as bad as you think, but you are right there is room for improvement. There is always room for improvement.  Instead of saying to yourself, "I'm not that good. I shouldn't do this." Try, "I am not very good at this yet, but I will continue to learn and adapt as I go." I Need to Know More Before I Get Started You do NOT need to know everything. You probably have more than enough knowledge to get going. Instead of saying, "I don't know enough," say "I don't know everything but I will use what I know to learn more as I go." With that said, know this: Don't use soundlcoud.com, anchor.fm, squarespace.com (for a media host), or a Blue Yeti (there are better, less expensive options). But I'm Scared Being afraid has times when it's very handy. Fear is good when you are face to face with a bear. Fear is good when you are on the edge of a cliff. Ask yourself, "What is the worst thing that could happen?" You might answer: "I will be embarrassed." To this, I say nobody is listening to your show when you first start out. The odds of running into someone you are not related to that has actually heard your show are minimal. When I looked up the definition of embarrassed it said to be disconcerted. When I looked up disconcerted it said "ruffled." I hear to get don't get ruffled. I have said things in my podcasts that I'm really surprised did not have negative side effects, but they didn't. I was scared my first day of JR High, of SR. High, but I walked through the doors anyway. So say to yourself "Yes, I’m scared, but I’ll get on with it anyway." The Bright Side of Failure Failure is fun. Think of it that way. If you’re failing, you’re doing it. You’re real. You can’t be fake and fail at the same time. And failure will eventually lead to victory. Failure is the only way to get to victory and it’s the only way to enjoy it because you can only enjoy something once you’ve tasted the opposite. I leave near an amusement park called Cedar Point. It has tons of super spooky roller coasters. Some people refuse to get on them as they are often the tallest, fastest, spookiest coaster in the US if not the world. To ride these, you have to stand in line. This is often a long line. Some people get bored and leave the line. Other tough it out, and they get on the ride, strap themselves in and after waiting an hour (or more) in line, the ride lasts 30 seconds and you get off the ride thinking, "It was OK."  You make a mental note, and you know to the only ride that ride if the line is short. With podcasting you are either going to have some positive outcomes or a story (which is also a positive outcome) Just because you failed, doesn’t mean that you are a fraud. It only means that you are willing to do something, even if it means risking failure. Another great book I read was Beyond Imposter Syndrome: Proven strategies for building confidence and finally feeling ‘good enough. What will happen if you never change? Podcasting leads to relationships which lead to opportunities. If you have a message, and a drive to reach people, you are missing at an opportunity to invest in yourself. There is NO WAY you start a podcast without learning something about yourself. Granted, one of the things you may learn is you hate podcasting, but I doubt it. Update on Radio Public Last week I talked about Radio Public. This is an app that pays you $20 per 1000 downloads as well as a $1 bonus for people who start to use their app. You can see what their player looks like and more at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/radiopublic I received an update: "Thanks for the follow-up and for highlighting RadioPublic in your latest episode. That's correct, right now only listens within the RadioPublic apps count toward Paid Listens. We’ll eventually include web listens down the road. The web presents some tough fraud detection problems we aren’t yet ready to address. You raised a great point on being able to combine earnings across podcasters or within networks for multiple shows. I shared this with Matt MacDonald our Chief Product Officer to see what's possible. We also recently expanded the guidelines of the program for shows to have their own sponsorships and still participate. The language on the site will likely be updated in the coming weeks but for now I at least wanted to pass along the update knowing there was a concern you brought up about one of your episodes including a midroll spot. Let me know if any other questions come up. Paid Listens is just the first step in our efforts to transform the podcast marketplace, making it much easier for podcasters to make money for their work. We’re currently prototyping ways for listeners to directly support the podcasters they love. Would you be interested in talking with Matt about this? We’ve updated our FAQ to address some of the questions and concerns discussed during the episode. Thank you for taking such a deep dive test run and pointing these out! We don’t touch the audio files by inserting ads into an episode, rather we place the ad spot before and/or after an episode - bookending it. (Updated here in our FAQ) The Loyal Listener bonus is a part of the Paid Listens payout, so with only 24 Loyal Listeners a podcaster would be eligible for the $25 minimum threshold for payout. (We updated this FAQ with clearer language around this as well as the math to get a podcaster to that understanding.) We also updated our “How do I get paid?” FAQ with clarification on what a podcaster can expect once their show is ready for a payout. Hopefully we’ll get the chance to meet in a couple weeks at Podcast Movement. Cheers, Joshua Rae July Question of the Month Do you have an email list, if so how big is it? What do you use? What strategies? If you send an email, please record something and attach it  (And use JULY QUESTION) as the headline. You can also call in your answer 888-563-3228 (don't forget to mention your show and website) The deadline is 7/27/18 Mentioned In This Podcast Podcast Envy Food Craftsmen www.schoolofpodcasting.com/radiopublic The Imposter Syndrome Remedy Beyond Imposter Syndrome: Proven strategies for building confidence and finally feeling ‘good enough   Ready to Start a Podcast? I would love to work with you. Please visit www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme